Happy Anniversary, John! At this time, all those years ago, we were almost at the end of our reception, and you invited half the party back to our house for more fun. Gaila made coffee for everyone and prepared all the food from the caterers in case people were hungry. Trick or treaters came to the door and we forgot to have candy for them. People hung out for awhile, including Mom who watched the video with us, and then we were alone at last…. and asleep by 9:30. 😉

It’s been a heck of a week. We had to get a new water heater, a new water tank for our well system, I had a fender bender, and got a bad cold that I’m still getting over. So we can’t do the gifts and bigger plans I thought of, but we’re still going to celebrate.

And everyone remember the most important thing this day teaches us. It’s

I did well under Weight Watchers, but the session ended and everyone at work just fell apart without it. Then my scale broke and I just half-heartedly kept up with things.

Enough of that. I have a new scale and I need to get motivated again. Not easy because I’ve felt really tired every day for the past few weeks. Part of that was Morgan being sick and Casey not sleeping through the night without having to go out a few times. Hopefully that will be better, at least the Morgan part.

I was going to start this weekend; we had an Olive Garden gift card and I promised myself that I ‘d have soup and salad. I had one hitch; Deptford Olive Garden is where I had that last lunch with my mom. I never went back. I told myself not to be such a wuss and get over it, but I chickened out a bit and we went to another one. That backfired because, let’s face it, one Olive Garden looks like another and it brought a bunch of feelings with it. So I’m a wuss. And I’m a wuss who said screw it, I’m having a drink and chocolate cake.

But here I am, trying to get psyched up. I have a long way to go for my goal and I don’t think I’ll get there by my vacation, but I can get quite a lot of it if I get focused.

The Road Company is auditioning for Rent. At some point, John in joking with the director about how much he’d love to do the show and he was auditioning for this character, got Lauri to say, “If you audition for Angel, you have the part”!

I know for a fact that if you know my beloved husband, you would pay at least $30 a ticket to see him! In fact, if you’re from out of state, I could get a block of hotel rooms, and you’d get one gladly to see that performance.

Just to see the one and only John “Johnny Black” Blackwell do this scene alone would be worth the money:

Morgan has been sick this week; she got into Casey and Elphie’s dry food which affected her throat of course. She’s been getting congested and now her energy is down. You can’t just look at her and see she’s not feeling well. She gets attacks, where — to keep it from being gross — it gets bad. (Little Elphie hovers nearby each time, giving me anxious looks as I try to help her big sister.) So I made a vet appointment for her to go today.

But then John woke up and had gout. He couldn’t walk because of the pain. So I took the afternoon off to get his medicine and take care of both of them.

Bad news, besides two sickies in the house, is the vet had no afternoon appointments. Morgan has to wait for tomorrow which sucks. I hate she has to feel bad another day.

Back to the final Jeopardy question:

Which of my patients is whining and a pain to deal with: Morgan or John?

We’ll go to a commercial while you make your decision.

Time’s up!

Answer: here’s a hint.

I had to get away from John before I smothered him; Morgan is quietly laying next to me.

The story: I started singing it like that at school and everybody thought I was gross.

3. Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler

Real lyric: We’re living in a powderkeg and giving off sparks.

Misheard: We’re living in a Pony Keg and giving out Barq’s.

The story: Singing it loudly in my friend’s jeep. I was living in Cincinnati at the time, a Pony Keg is hwat the locals called the corner shop, and Barq’s was a local brand of soft drink. It made sense to me at the time.

4. Good Ship Lollipop by Shirley Temple

Real lyric: And there you are…happy landing on a chocolate bar.

Misheard: And there you are…copulating on a chocolate bar.

The story: When I was working on a show that had it…I knew that couldn’t be the real words, but for life of me I couldn’t work it out till I got the lyric sheet!

5. What’s Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner

Real lyric: What’s love but a second-hand emotion?

Misheard: What’s love but a sticky body lotion?

The story: I was in the car with my mother and we were listening to “Jammin 105”, when this song came on and I started singing along, and suddenly we got pulled over by a cop and I still couldn’t stop singing it. The guy looked at me like I was crazy.

6. I Wanna Rock by Twisted Sister

Real lyric: Turn the power up. I’ve waited for so long so I could hear my favorite song so, let’s go

Misheard: Turn the power up Or we spend the night watching hillbilly movies so, let’s go

The story: I was almost sure this can’t be the right, so I searched the lyrics on the internet.

7. Graceland by Paul Simon

Real lyric: As if I’d never noticed the way she brushed her hair from her forehead.

Misheard: As if I’d never noticed the way she brushed her hair and farted

The story: Having misheard this from the first play, singing my version in the car had become second nature…until a passenger (my boss) pointed out that it was unlikely that Paul Simon would stoop to toilet humor to sell a tune!

8. God Bless America

Real lyric: Stand beside her, and guide her. Through the night with a light from above.

Misheard: Stand beside her, and guide her. Through the night with a light from a bug.

The story: It is my three-year-old son who belts out this lyric. He believes that the song is referring to a firefly.

9. Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin

Real lyric: If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now

Misheard: If there’s a buzzard in your bedroom, don’t be alarmed now

The story: My boyfriend looked at me with disgust and informed me that song is sacred! Oops!

10. Hot Blooded by Foreigner

Real lyric: I’m hot blooded, check it and see

Misheard: I’m hot blooded, check me for fleas

The story: I was doing my Lou Gramm impersonation. Obviously, it flopped.